The plot of _Sganarelle_ is ingenious and plausible; every trifle
becomes circumstantial evidence, and is received as conclusive proof
both by the husband and wife. The dialogue is sprightly throughout, and
the anxious desire of Sganarelle to kill his supposed injurer, whilst
his cowardice prevents him from executing his valorous design, is
extremely ludicrous. The chief aim of our author appears to have been to
show how dangerous it is to judge with too much haste, especially in
those circumstances where passion may either augment or diminish the
view we take of certain objects. This truth, animated by a great deal of
humour and wit, drew crowds of spectators for forty nights, though the
play was brought out in summer and the marriage of the young king kept
the court from Paris.
The style is totally different from that employed in the _Precieuses
Ridicules_, and is a real and very good specimen of the _style
gaulois_ adapted to the age in which Moliere lived. He has often been
blamed for not having followed up his success of the _Precieuses
Ridicules_ by a comedy in the same style, but Moliere did not want to
make fresh enemies.
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